Akili King

Akili King, an NYU Gallatin graduate in Creative Writing, Africana Studies, and Journalism with a French Minor, hails from Chicago and now resides in Brooklyn, New York. As ESSENCE Magazine's Senior Beauty Editor and a columnist for The Cut and Vogue, she's a seasoned journalist. Her earlier roles include Senior Editor at Rose Inc and Beauty Editor at Vogue, where she initiated columns like Best Beauty Instagrams and Texture Diaries, championing diversity in beauty. Her writing spans beauty, wellness, music, and culture, featured in Complex, The FADER, i-D, and more. King has interviewed prominent figures like Taraji P. Henson and Maxwell, amplifying diverse voices in media. With one poetry book, AWAKENING, under her belt, she's committed to writing impactful pieces focusing on beauty and wellness, championing underrepresented communities in the media.